Fittings for flexible hose utilizing a swaged collar are usually assembled to the hose at the factory, or by a hose distributor, and such assemblers utilize power equipment for swaging the hose fitting components upon the hose. However, there is often a need to assemble a swaged fitting upon a hose at the site of use, or by the direct user, such as a farmer or construction worker, and small manually operated hose fitting swagers have long been available for such use. Typical manual swaging apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,785,050; 3,858,298 and its reissue patents U.S. Pat. Nos. Re 29,801 and Re. 29,802; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,022.
As significant forces are required to swage the fitting component it is known to use manually operated hydraulic jacks or screws to produce the necessary forces. For instance, in the above identified patents screws are utilized in conjunction with anti-friction ball nut devices to produce the necessary force with a minimum of friction in order to reduce the manual effort required during the swaging operation.
Small portable swagers of the known type may be mounted within a workbench vise during use, or on a support surface, or may remain unsupported and are often provided with an anti-torque handle for such usage. However, a small power operated swager which is economically practical for consumer use has not heretofore become available, and the construction of prior art swagers is such as to render the electric powering of such devices very difficult.
It is an object of the invention to provide a manual swager for fittings for flexible hose wherein the swager uses a screw actuator which is axially fixed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a manually operated hose fitting swager which may be power driven without requiring modification.
An additional object of the invention is to produce a portable swaging apparatus for assembling swaged fittings to flexible hose wherein the swager utilizes a screw threadedly cooperating with an adapter, and the adapter encompasses the screw during use.
In the practice of the invention an elongated frame includes first and second ends. At one end a swaging die is located, and a screw is rotatably mounted at the other frame end. The bearing support for the screw permits the screw to rotate, but the screw is prevented from being displaced in an axial direction.
The central region of the frame includes linear tracks or guides, and an adapter threadedly associated with the screw through a ball nut slidingly cooperates with the frame track wherein the adapter is capable of linear movement toward and away from the swaging die, but is restrained against rotation. The adapter is of a tubular configuration and receives the screw at all positions of the adapter.
The adapter includes a fitting receiving recess in opposed relationship to the swaging die, and a fitting received within the adapter recess is translated toward the die upon rotation of the screw passing that portion of the fitting through the die which requires swaging.
The upper end of the screw includes a drive head, usually of hexagonal form, whereby a wrench may be applied to the head for rotating the screw. However, as the screw and head are not axially displaced during operation, power means such as an electric drill or torque wrench may be applied to the screw head for power operation of the swager.